Games Pack 9
Reviews Summary C+VG Issue 5 This is the ninth and probably the best games pack from Acornsoft so far. All the games on this cassette use graphics and sound effects to the utmost showing just what can be achieved on the Atom through skilful programming. The first game, Snapper, is a variation of the arcade game "Mazeman", mentioned in the November issue of Computer and Video Games. However, the game has been simplified to fit it on a standard Atom. These simplifications include changing the "ghosts" and your man into circles (they are in fact in colour if you've got the colour encoder board fitted), and the simplification of the rules (you don't get fruit in this version). If you haven't seen the arcade version of the game, then here's how to play. The basic object of the game is to eat as many ghosts as you can while your mouth is open (if your mouth is shut when you catch one. it eats you!). To open your mouth you must go over one of the corner crosses. Then you have a limited amount of time before it shuts again. The graphics are good and are backed up by excellent sound effects. The second game. Minotaur has impressive graphics too. The object of the game is to take all the gold bars from the boxes scattered around the maze, and to put them in the safe while trying to avoid meeting the minotaur who tries to catch and eat you. All this is done with 3-D pictures of the passages and the various objects in them. However, if you get completely lost, then you can call up a map of the labyrinth telling you where everything is. You can also mark the floor with a big cross so that you can remember where you've been. The game is very difficult to win and it ends either when you have put all five bars in the safe, or when you have been eaten by the minotaur. The scoring for this game is to put it mildly, odd, since you may often end up with a negative number of points. This game also has sound effects telling you how far away the minotaur is — he growls when he gets close. When eaten, the minotaur just sits there in front of you smiling and winking. He doesn't actually look too convincing but that's only a small point which doesn't detract at all from the excellence of the game as a whole. The third and last game, Babies, is an exact copy of the hand held game with the L.C.D. display in which babies jump out of a burning building. You must catch them on your stretcher and bounce them off the end of the screen before they fall to their deaths. Three are allowed to die before the game ends. This games pack is excellent value for money and I was very tempted to play the games rather than write the review! These games should be available from Acornsoft at the price of £11.50 for the cassette. Your Computer Issue 12 Writer: Eric Deeson Games 9 presents Snapper, a version of Pac Man which my children and their friends particularly enjoyed. Minotaur is a 5K and 6K adventure-in-a-labyrinth game, with 3D views of the passages before you. Babies is a 5K and 3K horror. If you are somewhat revolted by the violence of Atari's Circus, do not read on. Instead of a paid clown to crash around in the concrete, you must catch babies falling from a skyscrapcr. What a strange mind the author has. Category:Atom Games Category:Acornsoft Category:C+VG Reviews Category:Your Computer Reviews